bromley



(No Model.) y A. SCHNEIDER 8v D. W. BROMLEY.

BOTTLE STOPPER. Y

' 1 Paxented'00t.1-6,1894.

UNrT-ED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST SCHNEIDER AND DANIEL W. BROMLEY,OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO BYRON MCCLELLAND, OF SAME PLACE.

BOTTLE-,si/OPPER. i

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,726, datedOctober 16, 1894.

` v.Application filed April 3,1894. Serial No. 506,197. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUST SCHNEIDER and' DANIEL W. BRQMLEY, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State o f Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers, of Whichthe following is a specification. u

Our invention relates to bottle-Stoppers, and the purpose thereof is to provide a device of this character which may be readily applied to a bottle by merely inserting it in the open mouth thereof, from which it shall be incapable of removal and shall, by its presence, prevent the bottle fromV being refilled, although the contents may, at any time, be obtained by pouring them, out of the bottle in the ordinary manner. It is our purpose, also, to provide astopper for bottles'of the kind indicated, which shall be made wholly of glass, china, or similar material of a vitreous nature, and with which there shall be combined a gravity cylindrical valve and a gravity ball-valve, the former having longitudinal movement within the stopper, by which the exit-passages therein t are ,opened and closed, while the ball-valve is free to move in the cylindrical valve by its own gravity and thereby open and close the central, or main channel therein.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully described andy then more particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which form part of this specification.

To enable others skilled in the art to which our invention pertains to fully understand and to make, constructand use the same, we will proceed to describe said invention in detail, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical-section showing a bottle-stopper constructedin accordance with our invention, the parts being shown in the position occupied when the contents of the bottle are being withdrawn. Fig.y 2 is a similar section showing the parts of the bottle-stopper closed, andin their normal position. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cylind ricalvalve, removed from the stopper.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 indicates the neck of a'bottle of ordinary construction, such, for example, as those used for containing whisky, or other liquors, although the invention is also applicable to any other form of bottle', `used for containing other liquids which 'are intended to be sold in the original packages, or in the bottles to which our bottle-Stoppers are applied.

The neck 1 of the bottle preferably has a slight and'uniform contraction in diameter from its mouth downward, and within said neck is inserted a similarly tapered shell 2, formed wholly of china, glass, or like material, and having a length less than that of the neck of the bottle. From the lower end of this shell the wall thereof'is thickened up to apoint at, or not far from the middle, where an interior, circular shoulder 3 is formed,

above which the wall is of reduced, and sub.

stantially uniform thickness, to the upper end of the shelll 2. A

Within that portion lying below the interior shoulder 3 is arranged a substantially cylindrical, hollow valve 4, itting closely within the lower portion' of the shell 2, but

not so closely as to prevent free longitudinal movement. The cylindrical valve 4 is also made entirely from glass, china, or the like, and is provided, at its upper closed end, with 'an outwardly projecting collar 5, having a beveled circular face 6, which lies, when the cylindrical valve 4 drops to its lowest limit, upon a beveled circular seat 7, just beneath the shoulder 3. When the cylindrical valve is inl this position, the collar 5 seats so closely upon the beveled seat 7 that the bottle is entirely closed, so far as the admission of liquor` is concerned.

In the wall' of the cylindrical valve 4, beneath the collar 5, are formed exit-passages 8. When. the said valve rises, or moves toward the open mouth of the bottle, as it will readily do under the pressure of the contained iiuid when'the bottle is tilted, or inverted, the said i shell 2, and is provided with exit-openings 10. i

Upon the under, or inner side of this diaphragm a projection 12 is preferably formed, to prevent theclosed end of the cylindrical valve from coming in contact with the diaphragm and thereby closing, or obstructing,

the exit-openings l0. The closed end of the cylindricalvalve is also provided with a boss, or point l0, which strikes the projection l2 and preserves a suitable space between the closed end of the valve 4 and the diaphragm 9.

The lower end of the cylindrical valve 4is provided with an opening 13,which `is nOrmally closed `loy a ball-valve 14, having a diameter less than that of the interior ofthe cylindrical valve. This ball is, like the other part of the stopper, formed ol' glass, china, or

like material, and, by reason :of its'size, will roll freely from end to end of the interior of the hollow, cylindrical valve 4, its impact against the closed upper end of the same-in- `suring `the unseating of thesaid valve, when 1 the bottle is tilted, orinverted.

The shell 2 is formed with `an external `taper, as already mentioned, `which adapts it to it accurately within the neck ofthebo'ttle V with which it is to be used,the Stoppers being madein different sizes, `according to the bottles for which they are intended. In order to secure a close lit and preventall `possibility of leakage, we may, and preferably do, apply to the exterior of the shell 2, one .or more yielding, or elastic bands l5, set within suit- 3 able depressions, or channels, molded in the These bands may be composed of any glass. well known material suitable for the purpose; such, for example, as cork, wood, rubber, or any other substance.

`It is evident that the form of the several parts composing the bottle-stopper may be varied without departing from our invention,

and that it may be constructed from anymaterial used in the manufacture of this class of devices.

We prefer, as already set-forth,xthat the neckof the bottle shall have 'a slight contraction in diameter, from' the open mouth .downward, this being the opposite of the form, or shape,ordinarily used. This featureis shown `in Figs. l and 2, 01": thedrawings, and consti tutes, in connection with'the stopper, one feature of our invention.

1. A 'bottle-stopper `formed entirely of vit? reous material and consisting of an externally tapered shell and an intcriorly arranged cylindrical valve having an exterior collar formed upon its closed upper end and adapted to seat upon an interior circular shoulder, said valve being provided with exit passages in its wall below said collar, substantially as described. i

2. A bottle-stopper formed wholly of vitreous material and consisting of an externally tapered shell having an interior, cylindrical valve longitudinally movable therein and provided upon its upper, closed end with an outwardly projecting collar seating upon an interior-circular, shoulder, and a ball-valve loose within said cylindrical valve, the latterbeing provided with exit passages below the closed upper end, substantially -as described.

3. The combination `with Ia bottle of an insertible stopper, formed'entirely of vitreous material and consisting of a shell tapered to iit the neck of the bottle, a-movable cylindrical valve contained within said shell, and a ball-valve contained within `the cylindrical valve, substantially as described.

4. The combination -with a bottleof `a stopper insertible within the neck and provided with a perforated diaphragm upon its upper end, acylindrical valve arranged belowsaid diaphragm, 'its upper closed end provided nwith an outwardly projecting collar adapted `to seat upon an inner circular shoulder, and `aiball--valve loose within the cylindrical valve `and adapted to seatwithin and close an opening in thelower endof the cylindrical valve,

`the latter 'being provided Awith exit-passages below its upper closed end, substantially as described.

5. The combination `with 'a bottle of a bottle stopper insertiblein'the neck of said bottle, `the stopper consisting of a shell tapered externally to fit the neck of the bottle, and provided `with an interior circular -shoulder and a beveled seat belowsaidshoulder, a\cy lindrical valve movable insaid shell and provided upon its `upper closed endwith an `outwardly projecting collar 1having a beveled face adapted to close upon the beveled seat in said shell and providedwith exit-passagcs below said collar, and a ball-valve loose within said cylindrical valve and adapted to `seat `within and close an opening in the lower end of said cylindrical valve, substantially as `described.

Ioo

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close upon a beveled circular seatwithinsaid shell, the wall of said `valve being provided `with exit passages, `and a ball-valve `loose lwithin the cylindrical valve and adapted to close an opening in its lower'end, substan- In testimony whereof we have hereunto set 1o our hands in presence of two subscribing wit# nesses.

AUGUST SCHNEIDER. DANIEL W. BRoMLEY.

Witnesses:

T. 'I'. FORMAN, M. H. BOURNE. 

